


Shattered

by hyarleyquinn



Category: Batman - Fandom, Harley Quinn - Fandom, Poison Ivy - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Death, F/F, harlivy - Freeform, wlw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-06 03:57:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12203418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyarleyquinn/pseuds/hyarleyquinn
Summary: Harley's mom isn't doing well- with stage 2 cancer, she's hospital-ridden and not looking good. Can she, with the help of Ivy, handle the inevitable?TRIGGERS: Death, angst, overall depressing themes, doctors/hospitalsWORD COUNT: 1339





	Shattered

Harley Quinn was a mama’s girl. Being raised without a present father, her mother was always as loving and supportive as she could be. When Harley was little, her mother was, always happy, lively, and full of love to give. As she got older, though, Harley could see more and more of the emotional pain her mother was fighting. Having two jobs to support her family, one at a gas station, and one at a coffee shop, she often came home tired and beaten, but she always put on a smile for Harley. It was she that bought Harley her first pair of rollerblades, drove her to all her gymnastic competitions, and paid for her college. Even after Harley had become a supervillain, she kept in close contact with her mom. So it wasn’t easy on the jester when she found out her mom had stage 2 pancreatic cancer.  
“Come on, Ma, hang in there, we’ll get you to a hospital!” Harley screamed as her mother lay on the floor. Her thoughts were scrambled, mind was spinning, and her eyes were blurry as tears streamed down her pale face.  
“Ma… I love you… you can’t leave…. Not now…”  
* GASP *  
Harley sat up in her bed, tears stinging her eyes. Hyperventilating, she got out of bed and quietly shuffled to the kitchen, as not to wake her girlfriend, Ivy.  
Harley plopped down in a kitchen chair. The nightmares had gotten out of control- after she’d finally gotten over Joker… now this? It just wasn’t fair. Life was out for Harley Quinn.  
The blonde put her head in her hands. What was she to do? Cancer wasn’t a finite object. It couldn’t be shot, or stabbed, or blown up. All she could do was wait for the chemo to work.  
She heard the floor creak behind her.  
“Harley baby? What are you doing up?” Ivy asked groggily. It’s five in the morning.”  
Harley frantically wiped her eyes. “Oh, nothin’. Just woke up a little early, is all. Had a bad dream.”  
Ivy’s eyes flashed with worry. She pulled up a chair next to Harley as the sun started to rise.  
“Do you wanna talk about it, or will it make you sadder?”  
Tears welled in Harley’s eyes. She squeezed them shut as she aggressively shook her head.  
Ivy grabbed Harley and pulled her into an embrace.  
“I know, baby. It’s gonna be okay, I promise. Whatever happens, I’m gonna be right here, helping you through. You’re never going to be alone.”  
Harley’s sobs poured like rolling thunder. Her back rose and fell erratically as Ivy traced slow circles, trying to calm her down.  
“No matter what, your mom loves you. No matter what.”

**fast forward 2 weeks**

“Yello?” Harley asked into the phone.  
“Harleen, It’s Doctor Lancaster from the Gotham University Cancer Center.” The monotonous voice droned on the other end of the line.  
“Doctor L? How are you? Is my mom alright?”  
“Well, actually, that’s why I’m calling. You see… * cough * um… your mother… had a stroke last night.”  
Harley’s heart dropped like a broken elevator.  
“What?”  
“She’s in critical condition. I advise you get over here as quickly as you can to… see her.”  
Harley dropped the phone and took off running. She burst into the bathroom, where Ivy was in the middle of a bath.  
“Harley, what the hell is going on?”  
“Bathtime’s over, toots. Pack your stuff. We’re heading to Gotham U to see my mom. Doctor said she had a stroke and we gotta get over there to see her as soon as we can.” Harley announced.  
Ivy’s eyes filled with tears. “Grab me a towel and I’ll be ready in five. We’re not wasting any more time. You need to see her before it’s too late.” Ivy said, brows furrowing.  
“Too late?”  
“Nevermind, I said too much. You start the car. I’ll be out in a flash.”  
“HA! Like The Flash! Barry! Man, even in a crisis, you’re pretty funny, Red.”  
Ivy flashed a grin and disappeared into their bedroom.

“MOVE, YOU ASSHOLE! EVER HEARD OF A GAS PEDAL?” Harley screamed as she angrily drove into the city. Now that they’d mostly put the supervillain life behind them, Harley and Ivy resided in a suburban house on the outskirts of Gotham. Going into the city was something they did frequently, but never at rush hour.  
“Harley baby, try to stay calm- the last thing I need is to lose you, too,” Ivy consoled as she put a hand on her shoulder.  
“Pammie, I love ya, but tell me one more time to calm down and my brain’s gonna implode.”  
“Note taken. Love you babe.”  
“You too.”

“Hey, my name’s Harley, and I’m here to see my mom, her name’s Gina Quinzel,” Harley said to the receptionist.  
“Wait one moment while I search her in the system,” the receptionist replied unenthusiastically.  
“Look, I don’t wanna be rude, but my mom’s a stroke patient with stage 2 cancer and we really don’t have all day, so-“  
Ivy put a hand on Harley’s shoulder and kept it there. “I’m so sorry, we’re all a little tense, what room is she in?” She asked gently.  
“Room 521. Follow the signs for the ICU, then take a left right before the big doors.”  
“Thank you!” Ivy smiled as Harley pulled her by the arm toward the hospital room.  
A short time later, they were both standing at the doors of the unit. Harley felt a lump in her throat and choked down tears.  
“Red… I don’t know if I can do this. I mean… she’s my ma… last thing I ever wanted to see was anything bad ever happenin’ to her,” Harley mumbled.  
Ivy put her arm around Harley’s sulking shoulders. “Your mom wants to see you. I’ll be right here with you. One thing you’ll never have to do is face this alone.” She soothed to Harley.  
Harley, gulping down her feelings and lacing her fingers with Ivy’s, pushed through the doors and entered the room.  
The sterile smell of the hospital unit filled Harley’s nostrils. Doctor Lancaster stood at the door, furiously writing on a clipboard. Then she saw her mother there. Lying in bed, covered in wires and monitors, tears started to flow from Harley’s eyes.  
“You got here just in time, Harleen,” Doctor Lancaster said. “Her oxygen level’s dropping and there’s nothing we can do. I think it may be time to say goodbye. I’ll leave you alone to… take care of things.” She walked out of the room, showing little emotion.  
Harley pulled up a stool and sat by her mother’s bed.  
“Ma… I don’t even know what to say. I’ve never lived a day of my life without you, and I’m not sure I know how. But what I do know is that you’ve given me a great example to look up to. I’ve always seen you as a strong, independent, caring woman, and I can only hope to be like you. You’ve given me so much love and love for life… I love you, Ma, please don’t go…”  
Her mother’s eyes remained closed.  
“Ma…”  
Beeeeeeeeeeeeep…  
Harley stopped crying. There was an eerie stillness in the room. All she could do was stare at the corpse that was her mother, once full of life, now so empty. She stood up and walked away from the body, little emotion showing through her puffy, bloodshot eyes. Her heart had been ripped in two, and one half had died with her mother.  
Ivy, watching from the corner, grabbed Harley in an embrace.  
“Baby, I’m so sorry… I don’t even know what to say… She was an amazing, amazing woman, and so are you. You’re gonna do her justice, I promise.”  
Harley didn’t say a word. She didn’t even know how.  
They walked away from the room in complete silence, hospital sounds blurring in their minds. Although she didn’t show it, Ivy knew Harley was broken, and the pieces would have to mend themselves.

(End of part 1)


End file.
